Reading order
The Circle Opens reading order
1
2
3
4- 4 volumes
- Volumes
- 2000–2003
- Published
- about 24 h
- Reading time
- Completed
- Status
- Fantasy#146
- Genre
Quick answer
Publication order
4 volumes2000–2003Completed
- The sequel quartet to Circle of Magic: Sandry, Briar, Daja and Tris, now teenagers and full mages, are each in a different city, each takes on a student of their own, and each faces a dangerous criminal.
- One mage per book; they can be read in any order but the usual one is Magic Steps, Street Magic, Cold Fire, Shatterglass.
- Read Circle of Magic first.
- Ratings rise gently, with Shatterglass highest.
A plan for the whole series
4 volumes, 1,287 pages, about 24 hours. At 45 min a day that is about 4 weeks.
Share of volume 1’s readers who reach the last volume. Chance of reaching the last volume: high
Stages
2 stages, with 1 short book from outside the series between them. You finish around December 3, 2026, 4 days later than in one go.
- Stage 117 habout 3 weeksby November 20, 2026
- Short breakThe Fire Next Time · James Baldwin · 120 pp. · score 8.8
- Stage 27 h9 daysby December 3, 2026
- The end of the series
We count 1.1 min per page, the pace of an average novel reader. Faster? Move the slider.
Does the series hold up
Shape of the series: even. Volume scores differ by at most 0.1 points. You get the same level from the first page to the last.
Best volume: Shatterglass (7.9, 60 ratings). Weakest: Magic Steps (7.8). The series is complete; you can read it start to finish with no waiting. The last volume (7.9) scores close to the series average or above it.
How this plan is calculated
The plan comes from the pages and ratings of each volume: we split the series into stages of about three weeks’ reading, size each break to the stage before it, and read the chance of finishing from how many readers rate the last volume compared with the first. How we work out the plan →
Every volume in order
Order checked by hand · Order and years: Wikidata (CC0). Spotted an error? Tell us. · Data updated October 29, 2026
The Circle Opens books ranked, best to worst
- 1.ShatterglassBook 4 · 20037.9
- 1.Cold FireBook 3 · 20027.9
- 3.Street MagicBook 2 · 20017.8
- 3.Magic StepsBook 1 · 20007.8
Frequently asked questions
Which Circle Opens book is the best?
By reader score, Shatterglass (7.9/10). The lowest-rated is Magic Steps (7.8/10).
Which The Circle Opens book is the longest?
“Shatterglass” is the longest at 368 pages; the shortest is “Magic Steps” with 264 pages.
What should I read after The Circle Opens?
Other series by Tamora Pierce: Circle of Magic, Protector of the Small, Provost's Dog.
